Cumberland Family Hub Portage Service

What is Portage?

Portage is a home-visiting educational service for pre-school children with additional needs. Portage is based on the principle that parents and carers are the key figures in the development of their child. Cumberland Family Hub Portage service delivers Portage with families living in Cumberland and is a registered five-star service with the National Portage Association.

What happens on a Portage visit?

Portage home visits last approximately 1 hour and take place weekly or fortnightly in the family home. There are 3 main elements to every home visit:

1. child-led play – finding out about the child’s skills and interests
2. family focus – celebrate success and share concerns
3. structured teaching – focus on the child’s development

What does a Portage home visitor do?

• look at all areas of a child’s development including:
  • physical development
  • language and communication
  • self-help skills, and
  • social and emotional development
• work in partnership with parents/carers to discuss goals for their child
• provide toys, materials, and tips to make these goals achievable
• demonstrate activities that parents/carers can practice with their child to help achieve their goals

What do parents/carers do?

• work in partnership with the Portage Home Visitor to look at their child’s development and discuss their goals
• practice activities throughout the week and share progress on the next visit

Referring to Cumberland Family Hub Portage Service

Children can be referred between birth and 4 years old and have a significant delay in at least 2 areas of development. As evidenced by the Ages and Stages Questionnaires (ASQ) or Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) Developmental Journal.

Parents/carers must consent to the referral, be able to engage in weekly/fortnightly sessions, and practice learning activities and suggested strategies in between visits.